griset



ABRADING YARN Filed April 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS Feb 14, 1956 E. .1. GRISET, JR., ET AL ABRADING YARN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1952 United` States Patent Ofiice ABRADING YARN Ernest J. Griset, Jr., Asheville, and David L. Hart, Enka, N. C., assignors to American Enka Corporation, Enka, N. C., a corporation of Delaware Application April 17, 1952, Serial No. 282,806 4 Claims. (Cl. 57-2) This invention relates to the manufacture of textile yarns and is more particularly concerned with the pro duction of yarns having the appearance of spun yarn but being formed of continuous filaments.

Spun yarn is produced by twisting together a plurality of staple length fibers, yarns so spun having definite customer appeal based upon appearance and feel. The textile industry has long sought a way of producing from continuous filament yarns a thread having the appearance and feel of spun yarns of like material. In pursuing this objective, many inventions have been made with the result that it is now possible to produce continuous filament yarns which closely resemble the appearance of spun yarns from the same material. Many difiiculties yet remain, however, in that the machinery best capable of producing good results is complex and expensive to build and maintain,\while less expensive expedients tend to produce unsatisfactory results.

The usual procedure in simulating spun yarn is to produce the desired appearance by subjecting the continuous filament yarn to an abrading action in .its passage from a storage spool or package to a collecting spool disposed thereabove. Most commonly this winding arrangement is used to impart twist to the yarn and, in the industry, the apparatus is known as an up-twister.

In application Serial No. 275,977, filed March .11, 1952, now Patent 2,657,522, there is shown and described irnproved apparatus and methods for abrading yarn on an up-twister. in many instances, however, the rayon manufacturer is equipped not with up-twisters but with double twisters or so-called two for one twisters and it is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for abrading continuous filament thread during the up-twisting operation, whereby existing double twister installations need not be removedV incident to the manufacture of abraded yarn.

It is a further object of this invention to associate abrading annuli with a double twister in such a way as to render their installation easy and to afford a wide variety of abrading effects in order to meet different customer requirements as to thread appearance.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of several embodiments thereof in conjunction with the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a double twister having an abrading annulus at the entrance to the cap;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 but showing an abrading annulus functioning as the thread guide above the cap;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing an abrading annulus within the spool or bobbin on which the body of yarn to be twisted is wound;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical section showing abrading annuli at the mouth of the radial opening of the storage wheel;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view partially in plan and 2,734,333 Patented Feb. 14, 1956 partially in section of the storage wheel arrangement of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 isv a fragmentary View in vertical section of an abrading annulus located at the entrance to the hollow spindle of the twister.

Before discussing the invention in detail the structure and function of a double twister will be reviewed. It is understood that the double twister here shown forms, per se, no part of the present invention but is of the type shown and described in Patent No. 2,492,581 to C. B. Kingsbury.

Referring in detail to Figure 1, the numeral 9 designates a package of untwisted yarn which is wound on a hollow tubular bobbin 10 which is supported in position upon a holder 11. Holder 11 comprises an upstanding bowl 12 having a base 13. The bowl encloses the lower portion of the yarn package but the wall thereof is spaced from the exterior of the package to permit the unwinding of the yarn therefrom. An inverted cup 14 is placed upon base 13 and engages within an annular groove 15 in the base. Cup 14 adjacent its lower edge abuts against shoulder 16, which forms one edge of the groove 15 whereby the cup is aligned in concentric position within bowl 13. Extending upwardly within inverted cup 14 is a raised hollow central pedestal 17 formed on base 13, and an externally threaded upstanding boss 18 is formed integral with the pedestal. A-central guide tube 19 is screwed upon boss 18 and extends upwardly through an opening 20 in cup 14. Guide tube 19 is provided with an annular flange 21 which engages the edge of opening 20 of the cup 14 for causing the cup 14 to fit tightly Within groove 15 when the guide tube is screwed Vin position upon the boss 18.

Guide tube 19 is tapered at its upper end as at 22 and is adapted to receive thereover an inner annular boss 23 of cap 24. Cap 24 is of conical formation and is provided with anges 25 and Z6, respectively, providing a groove .for engaging the upper edge `of the yarn .package bobbin. The construction is thus arranged properly to position and retain package 10 in aligned position with respect to bowl 12 and the opening provided within the .pedestal projection 17 of base 13. As hereinafter pointed out, the package support portion of the spindle is normally maintained against rotation and the whole spindle normally reposes at an angle of about 25 to the vertical.

1 A hollow spindle 27 extends upwardly through tubular boss 1S, pedestal 17 and terminates below the opening of guide tube `19. A roller bearing 28 is mounted within a recess in boss 18 and engages the interior wall thereof and the exterior of spindle 27 for maintaining the parts in position for relative rotation. A bearing 29 is arranged within pedestal 17, said bearing engaging the spindle 27 for maintaining the spindle in proper position with respect to base 13 at this point. Bearing 29 is maintained in position by spring ring 3i) tting in an appropriate groove and roller bearing 28 is maintained in proper elevation with respect to bearing 29 by means of coil'spring 31.

Spindle 27 extends below base 13 and is there provided with a reduced portion 32 about which is encircled a bearing 33, the bearing being retained within an upstanding cup 34 of a nonrotatable bearing support 35. A pivot bearing 36 is provided at the lower end of the spindle, which bearing engages fixed bearing plate 37 carried in the bearing support.

Bearing support 35 is adjustably positioned by means of nut 38 having a reduced section 39 extending downwardly through opening 40 in a pivoted bracket arm 41. A washer 42 is placed over the lower end of the bearing support 35 and the support is held in position upon the bracket by means of lock nuts 43. A belt pulley or whorl '44 extends over a portion of spindle 27 and the upper portion of bearing support 35 and is integral with the spindle for rotation therewith. The whorl is adapted to engage and disengage a belt 45 in the manner hereinafter set forth. Reduced neck 46 of the whorl 44 is positioned upwardly within the opening in pedestal 17 of base 13 and it engages the inner race of bearing 29. Neck 46 is provided with three radial openings 47 which correspond to, and are in communication with, three openings 48 in the spindle. Openings 48 are in communication with the central opening 49 in spindle 27, the lower end of said central opening being flared outwardly as at 50 to aid in the threading-up of the device.

Hub 51 of the thread-storage wheel 52 is fixed to the periphery of neck 46 of the belt pulley or whorl and the storage wheel is provided with three radial openings 53 which communicate with openings 47. Storage wheel 52 is provided with an annular groove 54 which serves for the storage of yarn. Groove 54 communicates with openings 53.

Within reduced portion 22 of guide tube 19 is a recess 55 in which reposes a member provided with fur or plushlike material 56 constituting a yarn passage control means. Cap 24 is formed with a threaded central depression 57 into which nose 58 is screwed. Nose 58 has a at surface 59 and a central opening 60.

In order to drive the spindle 27, a series of idlers, one of which is illustrated, are mounted to guide belt 45 in a path adjacent belt pulley or whorl 44. In normal operation the whorl 44 engages belt 45 due to the pivotal and pendulous swinging of arm 41 about an upper pivot 61. In inoperative position whorl 44 is disengaged from belt 45 and is held in a disengaged position by means of a latchout arrangement (not shown). 62 is a brake shoe operated by a bail 63 when it is desired to stop rotation of the spindle after it is disengaged from belt 45.

The package holder 11 is mounted in position upon the stationary bearing support 35 entirely through the medium of the rotating spindle 27. In order therefore for the package to be maintained during normal operation against rotation, advantage is taken of the angular disposition of the package holder during operation of the spindle and a counterweight 64 is frictionally carried eccentrically of pedestal 17 by a tongue 65 extending from a flanged sleeve pivotally carried by the pedestal.

In threading up the twisting spindle, a tightly wound tension spring wire of about .10" diameter is preferably used. It is inserted through one of the openings 53 in the storage wheel 52 and is passed upwardly into the bore 49 of spindle 27. The wire is then forced upwardly through guide tube 19 and out through opening 60 in nose 58.

A loop of untwisted yarn from package 9 is connected to the projecting end of the wire and the yarn is then drawn downwardly through the interior of the nose cap and guide tube and then through the spindle and out through the opening in wheel 52 where it is disconnected from the threading-up wire and passed upwardly to a guide. The thread is then passed to a takeup device of appropriate construction. The spindle is then set in op eration by engaging the whorl 44 with belt 45 as by releasing the latching device used for holding the spindle in inoperative position.

It is customary for the belt to be operated at a speed to cause the spindle to rotate at between 5000 and 10,000 R. I). M. The entire spindle Unit carried by the pendulously pivoted arm 41 assumes a position tilted from the vertical and the counterweight 64 moves downwardly and tends to maintain the package support portion of the spindle in a relatively stationary position against rotation, although such support, including the yarn package, can turn or be turned manually relatively to the spindle, the latter meaning of course the whorl, storage wheel and the member 27. Due to the action of the take-up device (not shown) and the formation of the balloon, the yarn is drawn from the package 9 over ange 26 of cap 24 upwardly over nose 58 and between the flat surfaces of the nose and of the tensioning disc 71. Since the yarn is drawn off from convolutions of the package, the yarn approaches the nose 58 from an arc of 360. As the yarn passes between the tensioning member and grooved wheel 52 it is given one twist for each revolution of the spindle and as the yarn passes in the balloon between the wheel 52 and the centrally arranged guide it is given a similar twist for each rotation of the spindle. In this manner a two-for-one twist is imparted progressively as the yarn is passed from the package to the draw-oi or collecting device.

It is now apparent that by locating an annulus 66 of abrasive material at the mouth of the boss 23 of cap 24, yarn entering the opening 60 of nose 58 will be subjected to abrasion before the tirst twist has been imparted to it. The same is true of locating an abrading annulus at the entrance to the spindle as at 67 in Figure 6 or pro viding a large abrading annulus 68 within the bobbin 10 as is indicated in Figure 3. On the other hand, abrading annuli 69 may be located at the mouth of each radial slot 53 and in that position will function to abrade the yarn between the rst and second twist. If the abrading annulus is located as the thread guide receiving the thread after the second twist, abrasion will occur after twist is imparted. See in this regard the abrading annulus 70 of Figure 2.

Tensioning disk 71, which fits loosely within opening 60 of nose 58, does not necessarily have to be used although very satisfactory results are obtained when it is used. However, the presence of one or more annuli of abrasive material in the path of yarn travel has been found to exert a certain tensioning effect and the disk may be entirely omitted if desired.

Inasmuch as abraded rayon is intended to be used in ornamental and novelty fabrics, the choice of where abrasion is to take place is to some extent dependent upon the type of results sought to he achieved. It is quite possible to combine an abrading annulus such as that at 66, 67 or 68 with additional abrading annuli further acting in abrasion on the thread after it has been twisted.

In Figure 3 it will be understood that the guide tube 19 is entirely omitted to permit ballooning of the thread within the interior of the bobbin 10.

According to the present invention the abrading annuli 66-70, inclusive, are made of Carborundum and are placed in position by the use of a suitable adhesive or clamp. In view of the ballooning characteristics of a twister and the location of the abrading annuli at points where ballooning occurs the distribution of the abrading effect is uniform and pleasing to the eye.

What is claimed is:

l. A double twister for simultaneously twisting and abrading yarn comprising in combination, a bobbin, a cap thereon, a spindle, a wheel below the bobbin and spindle, each of said elements having a thread passageway therethrough, and an abrading annulus mounted in the thread passageway in one of said elements below the cap and at a point where the twist has commenced, said annulus constituting an integral part of one of the twist forming elements.

2. A double twister for simultaneously twisting and abrading yarn comprising in combination, a bobbin, a cap thereon, a spindle, a wheel below the bobbin and spindle, each of said elements having a thread passageway therethrough, and an abrading annulus in the thread passageway of the bobbin and mounted on the bobbin below the cap at a point where the twist has commenced, said annulus constituting an integral part of the bobbin.

3. A Adouble twister for simultaneously twisting and abrading yarn comprising in combination, a bobbin, a cap thereon, a spindle, a wheel below the bobbin and spindle, each of said elements having a thread passageway therethrough, and an abrading annulus in the thread passageway of the spindle and mounted on the spindle below the cap at a point Where the twist has commenced, said annulus constituting an integral part of the spindle.

4. A double twister for simultaneously twisting and abrading yarn comprising in combination, a bobbin, a cap thereon, a spindle, a wheel below the bobbin and spindle, each of said elements having a thread passageway therethrough, and an abrading annulus n the thread passageway of the wheel and mounted on the wheel below the References Cited in the file of this patent cap at a point between the rst and second twist, said 10 2,657,522

annulus constituting an integral part of the wheel.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Taylor et al May 15, 1934 Moore Nov. 16, 1937 Woolley Feb. 20, 1940 Halin Oct. 28, 1941 Kingsbury Nov. 27, 1951 Bley Dec. 9, 1952 Griset, Jr. Nov. 3, 1953 

